Next Steps for Starting Therapy

I understand that it isn’t always easy to decide to pursue therapy, but I believe that getting started should be easy. When you’re thinking about starting therapy, the paperwork and payment process shouldn’t get in the way of you starting to get the help you’re seeking. Yet, this is a necessary part of us being able to work together because it ensures that we both are on the same page about starting therapy.

My goal is to make this process as easy as possible, whether you’re choosing to pay for therapy on your own or if you’re choosing to use your insurance benefits. If you’re interested in therapy sessions for yourself, your child, or your older adult parent, these are the next steps you need to take in order to get started.

Scheduling An Initial Consultation Call

A woman looking at her cellphone starts the process of beginning therapy with SoundWell Music Therapy

The first step is to schedule a free initial consultation. I offer a free 15-minute initial consultation. The purpose of this is for us to discuss your situation and see if we’ll be a good fit for working together. If you have Medicaid I will also verify which Regional Accountable Entity (RAE) covers your behavioral health services to make sure that I’m in-network for you. (I’m contracted with CCHA and Colorado Access).

It is a brief informational call where I can learn more about your reasons for seeking therapy and where you can ask me questions about how I may approach working with you. It is NOT a therapy session. I provide these consultations by phone or remotely.

You can schedule this consultation here. I will email you back to confirm whether I’ll be available at your requested time.

After Our Consultation Call

If we decide to work with each other, we can schedule a time for an intake session and you’ll receive an email from me that asks you to sign in to a client portal associated with you. Signing in to this portal will provide you with access to a copy of my disclosure form and privacy policies to sign, as well as any other necessary documentation needed for my records.

  • If you have Medicaid, you will also upload your insurance information to this portal.
  • If you want to use your insurance benefits and have Aetna, Cigna, or Optum/United, you’ll receive an email from Alma asking you to complete setting up a portal with them where you’ll upload your insurance and payment information. This payment information is used to cover any co-pays or co-insurance you might have.
  • If you want to use your insurance benefits and have Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Beacon/Kaiser, Friday, or TriWest, you’ll receive an email from SonderMind asking you to complete setting up a portal with them where you’ll upload your insurance and payment information. Again, this payment information is used to cover any co-pays or co-insurance you might have.

Starting Therapy

If You Are Choosing to Self-Pay

If you are choosing to self-pay, you have the right to ask for a Good Faith Estimate of how much therapy with me may cost. Please know that as my best-advised estimate, estimates may change depending upon the course of therapy and the changing needs for treatment.

However, below are my rates:

  • The initial 60-minute intake session is $150.
  • 55-minute sessions are $130.
  • 45-minute sessions are $97.50.
  • 30-minute sessions are $65.

If You Have Insurance

While we can schedule an intake session during our consultation call, it is important that before we meet you:

  • Verify with your insurance company what your mental health coverage is, as some plans only cover medical, and not behavioral health. Additionally, the exact amount of your out-of-pocket responsibility can vary. Some insurance plans may have a co-pay, while others may require that you pay toward your deductible. It’s good to know this amount before starting therapy so that you don’t experience any surprises.
  • Complete setting up your client portals. Not doing so affects billing and we won’t be able to meet. Alma and SonderMind require that you as the client upload your insurance and payment information. It is not something I can do on your behalf.

Frequently Asked Questions About Payments and Fees

Below are some FAQs about payments and fees.

< class="collapseomatic " id="id678848a70a467" tabindex="0" title="Do You Work With the State Medicaid Waivers?" >Do You Work With the State Medicaid Waivers?

I don’t currently work with the Colorado Medicaid waiver program. There are a few music therapists in the area who do work with this program. You can find Program Approved Service Agencies on the Imagine Foundation website.

However, SoundWell Music Therapy is an approved Medicaid behavioral health provider and is contracted with Colorado Community Health Alliance and Colorado Access.

< class="collapseomatic " id="id678848a70a525" tabindex="0" title="Do You Offer a Sliding Scale?" >Do You Offer a Sliding Scale?

I do. It is the policy of SoundWell Music Therapy to not deny a person access to services due to an inability to pay. Because of this, I offer a discounted/sliding fee schedule available based on family size and income.

If you are paying, or are planning to pay, for counseling services out-of-pocket, you have the right to request a good faith estimate of charges. This is a good faith estimate, and while it will be my best-advised estimate, it may change depending upon the course of therapy and the changing needs for treatment.